Health Curriculum
Overview of Health Education at Redwater ISD
At Redwater ISD, health education, with an emphasis on physical and mental health, is taught as an enrichment curriculum as required by Texas Administrative Code Sections 74.1-74.3. The curriculum standards are outlined in the newest version of the Health EducationTexas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), adopted in 2020.
Originally passed in 1995, the Texas Education Code (TEC) is the state law that governs Texas public education. TEC §28.004 outlines the requirements for sexual health education instruction (called Human Sexuality Instruction specifically in the code); indicates the need for every school district to have a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) that reviews sexual education instruction; and describes the process for curriculum adoption, parent notification, and parent consent. Significant changes were made to §28.004 in the 87th Legislative session (2021). Redwater ISD follows the state’s minimum requirements for sexual health education instruction.
Related to health education is Senate Bill 9, which was passed during the 87th Legislature, which requires schools beginning in the 2022-23 school year to educate students on dating violence, family violence, sex trafficking, and child abuse. During that same legislative session, Texas House Bill 1525 was adopted which requires parent/guardian consent for their child to participate in a curriculum that teaches human sexuality. This law modified the process by which school boards adopt human sexuality curricula and changed what was previously known as parental consent from "opting out" to "opting in" for their child to participate in human sexuality instruction.
The district's School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) met numerous times during the 2021-22 school year and held public meetings to review instructional materials. The final selections were adopted by the RISD Board of Trustees on May 24, 2022.
RISD's mission is to provide superior education with traditional values. The district believes that human sexuality education begins at home and parents or legal guardians are the primary educators of their children. The human sexuality instruction provided by Redwater ISD is age-appropriate and aligned with our mission statement as well as the state standards. Parents have the right to determine if their child may participate in instruction related to human sexuality, dating violence, family violence, sex trafficking, and child abuse without penalty to the student.
Parents/guardians must consent for their children to participate in lessons that include human sexuality as presented in the TEKS or the topics required by Senate Bill 9 (dating violence, family violence, and child abuse) each school year. Parents may request access to instructional materials beyond what is offered on this page and may purchase print materials and workbooks. Parents are encouraged to learn more about the Texas Health Curriculum standards by visiting https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-115
Health Instructional Materials (Grades K-4)
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- General Health
- Social Behavior
- Responsible Decision Making
- Healthy Practices and Hygiene
- Mental Health and Wellness
- Healthy Eating and Nutrition
- Disease and Illness Prevention
- Safety and Accident Prevention
Health Instructional Materials (Grades 5-High School)
ESTEEM is an acronym for Encouraging Students To Embrace Excellent Marriage. Redwater ISD implemented the ESTEEM curriculum in 2019 following a review and recommendation of the RISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC). The SHAC is comprised of parents, community members, and staff. Based on the SHAC recommendation, the Board of Trustees adopted the curriculum for use in grades 5-8. The 2021-22 SHAC recommended that ESTEEM continue and be added to the 9th grade. This recommendation and continuation of ESTEEM was approved by the Redwater ISD Board of Trustees on May 2022.
ESTEEM helps to improve student awareness of, and tendency toward, making healthy decisions. The more teens are aware of the dangers and consequences of risky behaviors, the more prepared they will be to avoid such situations.
ESTEEM is taught by trained staff which includes classroom teachers, nurses, and counselors. This curriculum includes human sexuality instruction and Senate Bill 9 topics (dating violence, family violence, and child abuse). Parents/Guardians must opt-in for their children to participate.
Instruction is taught in Grades 5-9 in the following manner:
- 5th Grade - Enrichment *
- 6th Grade - Enrichment*
- 7th Grade - scheduled days through social studies class period
- 8th Grade - blended with Health class instruction
- 9th Grade - scheduled days through World Geography class period
The ESTEEM series consist of 5 age-appropriate workbooks designed for used in 5th grade through high school:
- Each 100-page workbook is an interactive, personal journal for each studentt to work out important life decisions. Students take the book home after lesson ten.
- Parent/Guardian discussion worksheets are included with every lesson.
- Trained ISD teachers deliver the ten lessons in about 1-hour each
- Activities are aligned to the TX health TEKS.
- Leader kits consist of lesson quizzes, answer keys, parent/guardian worksheets, games, and classroom posters and thumb drive.
- ESTEEM incorporates multiple teaching styles throughout all grade level workbooks.
- Workbooks cost $4.50/ea and leader kits are $85/ea.
- Child Development
- Biology
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Principles of Health Science
- Medical Terminology
Students in 8th grade must take a one-semester health course that incorporates ESTEEM and instructional materials published by Goodheart-Willcox. Parent/Guardian consent is required to participate in the ESTEEM lessons.
Essential Health Skills for Middle School, 3rd Edition
By Catherine Sanderson, Mark Zelman, Lindsay Armbruster, and Mary McCarley
Parent Resources